Aug. 30 (UPI) — Recent research warns that the increasing sea levels pose a threat to coastal wetland and coral reef ecosystems. These valuable ecosystems, integral to global fisheries, are struggling to adapt to the effects of rising sea levels, the study published in the journal Nature reveals.
“Collectively, these are among the most valuable ecosystems on the planet. For example, the world’s fisheries depend to a significant extent on the health of coastal wetlands and coral reefs,” stated co-author Torbjörn Törnqvist, a geology professor at Tulane University.
According to the study, the survival of coastal wetlands and coral reefs is heavily dependent on limiting global warming to less than 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit (2 degrees Celsius).
“This highlights the importance of the Paris Agreement, which aims to keep warming within 2 °C, and ideally 1.5 °C,” emphasized Törnqvist. “Clearly, this would make a huge difference for coastal ecosystems. However, given our current trajectory, we are projected to reach a 2.4 to 3.5 °C temperature rise by the end of the century, necessitating an urgent change of course.”
The researchers found that if warming remains below the threshold, these ecosystems are likely to survive until 2100. However, if temperatures rise beyond 3.6 degrees F, widespread collapse is anticipated.
The study also indicates that many coastal marshes, mangroves, and reef islands are unable to keep up with the rate of sea-level rise, projected to exceed approximately one quarter of an inch (7 millimeters) per year by 2100 in the absence of significant efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Notably, regions along the U.S. Gulf Coast have already experienced higher rates of sea level rise.
Prior research led by Tulane University has predicted that Louisiana’s marshlands, along with other parts of the Gulf Coast, may be submerged within the next 50 years due to the current rate of rising sea levels.
The international team responsible for the study, led by Neil Saintilan at Macquarie University, included researchers from other Australian universities, as well as co-authors from Singapore, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Törnqvist, supported by the National Science Foundation, primarily focused on developing innovative methods to assess the vulnerability of wetlands to sea-level rise throughout geological history.
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